Former Hesder CEO: High Court Must Invalidate Draft Law

Rabbi Avraham Baron, who headed the union of hesder yeshivas - which combine religious studies with military service - for 25 years, said, Friday, that he hoped the Supreme Court will invalidate the recently-passed law that seeks to draft more hareidi Jews. Interviewed by Arutz Sheva, he said if the law is not invalidated, not one hareidi will enlist. Referring to hareidi opposition, he added, "The anti atmosphere will continue [and] there will be a social and economic disaster which will increase the size of the rift among the people and harm the growth potential of the state of Israel."

Rabbi Baron said that in his day there were thousands of hareidim in the military and their rabbis trusted the system. He warned that if the law does not contain a clear call for those who can study Torah to do so, the rabbis won't cooperate, adding, "We have to produce harmonious labor for the rabbis [and] create attractive tracks for the hareidim to return the thousands of hareidim that the army had."